Verse To Live By

Make it your ambition
to lead a quiet life
to mind your own business
and to work with your hands...

So that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders

And so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

I Thessalonians 4:11-12

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Some Steps to Finishing Well

Today I will address the "Finishing Well" portion of my blog.  I've been asking God, in my "retirement", what I should do.  He informs me that I should take life one day at a time, and as each day unfolds simply be obedient.  Well, today's scripture reading from Ephesians 5 gave some pretty specific instructions from Him.  Thought I would share some of that passage and how it spoke to me.

Follow God's example in everything you do because you are his dear children.  Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loves you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sin.  (vs 1-2)
Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord.  (vs 10)
So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise.  Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days.  Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.  (vs 15-17)
...let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.   (vs 18b)

So here is my summary of what God expects of me each day:

  1. be an example of Christ's love
  2. please the Lord by living wisely
  3. do good to others, being filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit
A three-step plan for Finishing Well.  Think I'll try it...how about you?


Friday, August 22, 2014

Spray Pam to Save Staining

Here's a simple way to keep your plastic containers (such as Tupperware and Rubbermaid) from getting stained by tomato based foods:  Spray the container with Pam first!

I did not know this.  My son taught me this when I was living with him this past winter.  Today I shared reasons why it was a pleasure to spend a few months with our son, and one was because of the things I learned from him.  My friends did not know this trick on how to keep containers from staining either.  Always remain teachable!!  

Feeling Happy

A friend gave me a "Woman's World" magazine to browse through.  I read this article about five ways to feel happier every day, so since they are simple things, I thought I would post them.  I'm hoping fuscia is a happy color for you (obviously this is something females will better relate with).  Here are the steps:


  1. Relieve stress by watching funny shows, videos, and competitions.  Inspiring shows can lift your mood.
  2. When you are feeling moody, drinking some water may hydrate you and relieve fatigue that you don't know you have.  Your body may be saying "give me more liquid!"  Make it a healthy liquid!
  3. Healthy foods, rather than fast foods, can help chase away the blues.  Nutrients found in salads, vegetables, fruits, and nuts help produce serotonin and dopamine, relaxation hormones.
  4. To relieve work stress, take up a hobby, do things you enjoy.  Research has found that creative hobbies can help you make good decisions on the job.
  5. Save your "issues that might cause to tension" until after you have dinner because low blood sugar can cause impatience.  After eating you may be more able to compromise and be more loving.  A 20 second hug triggers a bonding hormone, making a person more likely to want to please you.
Okay, there you have it.  I will need to keep these things in mind! 

Monday, August 18, 2014

Simply Walking

There are many benefits to taking an evening walk.  They are:

  1. walking helps lower blood sugar
  2. walking aids digestion by speeding foods through the gastrointestinal tract
  3. walking can help calm you down and give you a new perspective by triggering brain nerve cells that help relax the senses
  4. walking in the evening helps one to sleep more soundly
  5. walking can increase bladder capacity overnight, reducing the number of trips to the bathroom in the night

You should wait 30-60 minutes after eating before walking, and be sure to drink plenty of water.


I have been walking twice a day on a regular basis for four months now.  I walk two miles in the morning and two miles in the evening.  I have definitely noticed the effects of the above benefits.  I hope to make this a life-long habit, as long as I am able.  

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

An Apple a Day....

Food Inspiration

I have tried to make it a life time habit to eat an apple every evening, although I slipped for a couple of years.  Now I'm back on that kick, just because I know my constitution needs it.  I reread an article this week that reminds me of the benefits of eating an apple a day.  Let me share them...

  •  Apples are packed with fiber...about 20% of your daily nutritional value.
  • Apples require that you chew them, which gives your body time to register that you are getting full.
  • Apples have natural sweeteners in them to keep blood sugar and insulin levels satisfied, instead of getting the quick rush of sugary snacks which quickly crash.
  • Apples help protect the lungs, helping to lower the risk of developing asthma, cancer, and other diseases.
  • Apples have pectin and poly phenols which help lower cholesterol, helping to lower the risk of artery-clogging plaque.  Eating the peel enhances that benefit by 2-6 times.
  • Apples have been known to curb the growth of cancer cells, especially when the peel is also eaten.
  • Apples make you smarter, it is claimed, because of a chemical (acetylcholine) that is produced that transmits messages between the nerve cells.  This is good to keep the aging brain sharper, and lessen the risk of getting Alzheimer's disease.
Wow, with all of these benefits on top of the good taste of an apple, why wouldn't I want to eat one a day, if not more??  I wonder how apple pie rates?  Apple crisp?  Apple tarts/turnovers?  Just kidding....keep it simple.  Just eat an apple.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Better Baking and Easy Clean-up

Around the House

Parchment Paper is a new discovery for me.  Where have I been all these years?  This amazing paper, I have the Reynolds brand, makes life in the kitchen so much easier!  Plus, it enhances the outcome of the food being baked.

Last week I baked a batch of cookies using the parchment paper, just laying it on the cookie sheet before placing the cookies on it, and there was a much better consistency to the cookies.  The bottoms were not dark and crunchy but tasted just like the rest of the cookie, soft and moist.  This morning I baked biscuits on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet, and they rose so much higher, soft and fluffy.  That's how we like them with our strawberries!  (One simple meal per week is my strawberries and biscuits meal...that's all we have at that setting.  It's one of my husband's favorite meals!)

Here's some basic instructions for the parchment paper baking:

  1. It is oven safe to 420 degrees.
  2. Sticky and delicate foods lift with ease when transferring the parchment paper from the pan to the cooling area.
  3. Line the cookie sheet/pan with either side of the parchment paper.  When done baking, lift the sheet off, and the pan remains clean!  No need to wash.
  4. No additional oils or spray are needed when using parchment paper.  It's clean, it's easy, just do it!

Monday, August 4, 2014

How to Maximize Time

Inspirational Challenge

I have a devotional booklet that I read daily in which the segments are only half a page long, use one scripture verse, and often make valid points to ponder.  The booklet is called "The Word for You Today".  Yesterday's article focused on how to make your time count, stemming off from a verse found in Psalm 39:6:  All our busy rushing ends in nothing.

To maximize time, the author suggests:

  1. Make Lists - what you want to accomplish this week
  2. Consult Your Schedule First - to maintain realistic goals
  3. Prioritize - focus on your highest priority, working on the rest as time permits
  4. Delegate - ask for assistance
  5. Identify Extenuating Circumstances - at challenging times, allow yourself permission to not feel guilty for letting some things go undone
  6. Learn to Let Go - if it's been on the list a long time, it may not be that important
When life is demanding, I do makes lists.  When I go shopping, I have a list.  I make a weekly menu and develop my list from that.  When we are getting low on a household item, it goes on the list.  My daily calendar has a list of events, special days, and appointments.  Life in retirement is simpler for me, and my lists are simpler, but I still swear by them.  It's the only way for me to stay organized.

Psalm 39:4 says:  Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.  Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away.

Makes me recall a poem I read in my earlier years, though I am sure I am not quoting it exactly:

The days of my life will soon be past.
Only what's done for Christ will last.

So, for me, I keep life simple by focusing each day on those things that count most.  I keep my goal in sight, which is to please Christ and finish well.


Friday, August 1, 2014

Cleaning Made Simple!

Around the House

Today I have to give credit to my daughter-in-law (whose favorite color is orange...I think) for a very simple recipe for a cleaning solution.  When she was cleaning the tub in preparation for her favorite mother-in-law's visit, the stubborn stains refused to come off.  She did an on-line research and found this incredibly simple, yet powerful solution for cleaning the tub (and no doubt several other surfaces...I used it in my kitchen sink).  Here it is...

Simple Cleaning Solution

Combine 50% Dawn dish washing soap and 50% vinegar in a spray bottle, and mix by shaking.  Spray surface of the tub (or any surface you are cleaning) and let it set for 10 minutes.  Wipe down with a damp cloth, and your stains will disappear!  

Her tub was sparkling white when we got there, like brand new.  When she told me what she did, I knew I was going to need to try that solution.  My husband mixed it up for me and sprayed our shower around the door frame where crud had accumulated over the years.  When he went back to wipe it up with a damp cloth, he did use a putty knife, but the crud was softened enough to come right off.  Looks terrific!

Hey, if it's simple, I'm going to try it!  If it works, I'm going to publish it!